Down Club Hurling & Football

[Open yer eyes Man]

I really would prefer going back to the old way of things where the winner of the League going up (or winning like Div.1) , along with 2nd place and the bottom two going down.

This should apply to all Divisions.

[Pangurban]

Re.proposed new league structures, they appear eminently sensible and an improvement on current situation, cant see why anyone would want to oppose them

[Square Ball]

a lot of sence in that DF, but was this similar to what was proposed two years ago and was defeted? at least the team that tops the division will be crowned champions. If this does get the go ahead what will the divisions look like? w

[bredaghgael86]

I think the idea about the reserve team going up to div4 is a good idea, although the team that goes up could find it more comfortable over the course of a season than playing in the prfl, i dont know.  but i dont understand why it cant just be top two go up, bottom two go down.  Simplistic maybe, but it gives clubs an aim, instead of trying to do just enough to get to the playoffs and then having a big push then.  IMO it forces clubs to go hard from the start because they wont have the safety net of the playoffs. 

[stiff breeze]

This down Gaa thread has decended into a joke. I'm not sure whats worse The gael coming on and trying to be the centre of attention or the fact that so many pricks are asking him questions and actually looking his advice!!! Then there are those who are saying " ah this place is some craic now with the gael posting here" !!!!! WTF get a life you losers go and talk to people face to face and have some craic ! PUT DOWN THE KEYBOARD AND TRY SPEAKING TO PEOPLE FOR A CHANGE.

You've had 164 post yourself so what are you slabbering about? """ Pricks ,losers! """ Wind your neck in.It's all a bit of fun

All a bit off fun!? point proven.

[stiff breeze]

This down Gaa thread has decended into a joke. I'm not sure whats worse The gael coming on and trying to be the centre of attention or the fact that so many pricks are asking him questions and actually looking his advice!!! Then there are those who are saying " ah this place is some craic now with the gael posting here" !!!!! WTF get a life you losers go and talk to people face to face and have some craic ! PUT DOWN THE KEYBOARD AND TRY SPEAKING TO PEOPLE FOR A CHANGE.

Use of "WTF" weakens your point in your quest for a more serious discussion board. Hghly ironic

You're use of Hghly whatever that means shows that you are a mungo!

[dundrumite]

This down Gaa thread has decended into a joke. I'm not sure whats worse The gael coming on and trying to be the centre of attention or the fact that so many pricks are asking him questions and actually looking his advice!!! Then there are those who are saying " ah this place is some craic now with the gael posting here" !!!!! WTF get a life you losers go and talk to people face to face and have some craic ! PUT DOWN THE KEYBOARD AND TRY SPEAKING TO PEOPLE FOR A CHANGE.

Use of "WTF" weakens your point in your quest for a more serious discussion board. Hghly ironic

You're use of Hghly whatever that means shows that you are a mungo!

Touche..... Though mungo? "WTF"? 

DF are you sure that would come into play for 2009? Teams that got promoted and other teams whom worked hard to stay in a division may not be overly pleased to being demoted a division, without this knowledge from the previous year. Certainly worth considering as the problems of club leagues in Down have being highlighted before. Winners of leagues certain of promotion would certainly make it more competitive at the top end of the divisions. Division 4 certainly needs a shake up with the two winners of the previous years doing in undefeated.

[east down gael]

this debate seems to occur almost every year,with little ever seeming to come of it.certainly automatic promotion for winning your division would be a welcome addition,it seems ridiculous that a team could win their league out of sight yet be denied promotion due to a playoff system.however,bar that one change,i do not see that there is too much wrong with the league structures as they are.
   teams that gain promotion do struggle in the higher division,but this makes sense as they are up against a higher quality of opposition week in week out.for example,bryansford won nearly all matches at a stroll in div 2 this year but will find it much harder next year.similarly st johns were rarely troubled but will get it alot tighter next season.that to me is just the nature of league football,there will be the elite in the league who will beat everyone bar each other,the chasing pack who can cause the occasional upset,then those who fight relegation.occasionally there will be a whipping boy.i can't think of a system that will change this.
   fair enough the leagues took a long time to complete this year,but would this not be the exception to the rule in recent years?

[east down gael]

also,i wouldnt like to see the winner of the acprfl entering division 4.as someone has already stated they would be playing at a lesser standard.also they could hamper the development of a club coming out of the league.no matter what anyone says about top 13,10 etc,when it comes to a big game then big guns can be rolled out.i couldnt see the reserve teams going for it anyway,but i hope it doesnt happen.

[DaddyLongLegs]

also,i wouldnt like to see the winner of the acprfl entering division 4.as someone has already stated they would be playing at a lesser standard.also they could hamper the development of a club coming out of the league.no matter what anyone says about top 13,10 etc,when it comes to a big game then big guns can be rolled out.i couldnt see the reserve teams going for it anyway,but i hope it doesnt happen.

I agree but maybe for slightly different reasons. I dont know the history of the PRFL but assume it was set up to provide competitive football to those population centres who had the players to field more than one team. And thats the way it should stay!! What a motivation for a player starved club in Div 4 to be beaten by a thirds team. That would really rally the troups in the changing rooms. And the answer isnt "well the Div 4 clubs have to get their house in order" - the fact is that no club wants to be in Div 4- they are there because of a number of factors,the main one being numbers.

Also, if the standard isnt good enough in Div 4, how about bucking them into Div 3 or Div 2 - there would be a few interesting games including St John Vs St Johns!
So for me its a Big Big NO NO and will lead to the weakest Clubs in Div 4 who are already struggling (for success) hanging up their boots completely.

[Blue Island]

a lot of sence in that DF, but was this similar to what was proposed two years ago and was defeted? at least the team that tops the division will be crowned champions. If this does get the go ahead what will the divisions look like? w

Bar the PRFL winners going into divsion 4 (Mayobridge won it this year and would demoralise the opposition) these proposals make a lot of sense for many reasons. Your point about proposals like this being defeated two years ago is true, but the problem is the County board has never made any attempt to advocate and canvass for change. The matter was discussed little and the clubs and views were not sought in any meaningful way. If the county board is serious about these proposals, they should be forcefully arguing their case and not just ruck up on some random monthly meeting expecting everyone to row in behind it.

Whilst I would like these proposals to be ratified as quickly as possible, it must be too late for 2009. Clubs that have been promoted or avoided relegation have a legitimate expectation. These proposals should be set out at the start of a league campaign when everyone knows where they stand, not at the end. 

[Square Ball]

It will be interesting to see what happens at the next county board meeting. So if I am reading it correctly there will be 2 teams in essence being de-moted from div1 this will mean 4 dropping out of div 2 (existing 12 plus the 2 from div 1) div 3 will then loose 5 into div 4?

[Open yer eyes Man]

I see Ciaran Brannigan getting a slating on the Tyrone section for the way he refereed the Ulster Intermediate final between Trillick and Greenlough the other night.

congratulations trillick - well done. heard our old friend kieran brannigan from down was the ref and he made a balls of it. remember he was the ref who sent off a couple of tyrone minors this year and a few harps men a couple of years back.

Well done to Trillick tonight. I don't think I have ever been as cold at a match before. Trillick were the better side throughout and they were worthy winners. Matthew Donnelly is a great young talent and I'm sure he has a big future ahead of him.

congratulations trillick - well done. heard our old friend kieran brannigan from down was the ref and he made a balls of it. remember he was the ref who sent off a couple of tyrone minors this year and a few harps men a couple of years back.

The referee made some strange calls tonight but in fairness his interpretation of the rules was applied the same to both sides.

I always thought he wasn't the worst ref but still prone to the odd major mistake.  Also feel he is getting a bit of a head about himself since he is now going up through the ranks.

[Brick Tamlin]

Warrenpoint Beat Bryansford today in An Ricoht to be promoted as Div 2 Champions on a scoreline of 13 Pts to 1-9

Game was quite an entertaining tit-for-tat affair with the Point Deservedly winning in the end with a show of phenomenal work rate and character.

Bryansford will be shattered after losing a league title that looked to be in their back pocket for most of the season.

[thewobbler]

Bryansford will be shattered after losing a league title that looked to be in their back pocket for most of the season.

We've been involved in  a number of these games over the past decade and from my experience, winning division II doesn't matter a whole pile to the players; getting promotion is what really matters. I'd make a strong wager that Warrenpoint celebrated more wholeheartedly last weekend than they will tonight.